


Classical Encounters

by ReinedeGrump



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: Anxiety Attacks, Demon Summoning, Demon!Dan, Eventual Relationships, M/M, Slow Build, Waiter AU, YouTube, game grumps isn't a thing yet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-09
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-09-09 07:25:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8881294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReinedeGrump/pseuds/ReinedeGrump
Summary: Arin is a waiter down on his luck. Between working all day and trying to keep up his passion of animation, he finds it's either one or the other. Luckily, his friend Suzy gives him a weird book that might inspire some creativity. What they didn't know was the end result would be an accidental demon summoning.Demon summoning AU with Dan.





	1. Chapter 1

 Arin brushed off his apron before taking it off and folding it on his arm. To him, it was just another long day with adequate tips. Key word being adequate. Clocking out was the only thing that mattered at the moment. He was ready to go home. His work as a waiter in a large food chain brought in more annoying customers than good. Buy hey, he couldn't complain. Money is money. Well, he'd prefer his money was from his animations instead of a family of 8 who didn't even tip 20 percent but this job was paying his bills. Arin was writing down his hours when a voice cut him off.  
    "Off already? Didn't you just get here?" Ross had one of his eyebrows cocked followed by his signature shit eating grin.  
    "Very funny, if you call a 13 hour day 'just getting here'. Anyway, I'm out! Good luck, you're going to need it." Arin laughed at his coworker. He was exhausted and didn't feel like sticking around so he waved at his friend and walked out the door.  
    Once Arin was in his car, he rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hand before turning the key in the ignition. Sitting down for the first time that day made him realize how exhausted he really was. Silence filled the car as he drove back to his apartment. Arin wasn't sure why but he liked to drive home with the radio off at times so he could let his mind wander. He liked to look at his surroundings on the way home. He almost always caught the tail end of a California sunset and he took the time to enjoy it. The sun illuminated the palm trees and reflected off the ocean as one last parting gift for the day before disappearing behind the horizon. He always admired the pink and orange hues that mixed together in  some sort of sherbet pallet as it gave California a tropical hue. He could honestly look at all day if he could.  However, his thoughts were broken once his phone started to ring. With a sigh, Arin tapped the green answer button.  
    "Hello?" He answered.  
    "Hey Ar! You remember that book store over by that bakery I really like?"  
    It was Suzy; Arin's friend since they were in middle school. They did everything together. They even had the same job, with the only difference being she had more authority over him ever since she climbed the financial ladder and became a manager.  
    "Ya, why what's up?"  
    "They had a sale on old books and I found one that made me think of you. The cover art was really cool and I thought you might want it for art inspiration. And hey, it might be able to get you to read for once!" Suzy laughed at her own thought before continuing "Anyway, I put it in your mailbox. You're welcome."  
    Arin spent of his ride home talking to Suzy about each of their days and how Arin had to deal with a family of three making a huge mess at his station and leaving a three dollar tip on a 50 dollar tab. Of course he couldn't do anything about it but it didn't stop the two of them from talking shit and laughing at the guy for a solid five minutes. At the end of Arin's car ride, he pulled into his parking garage and exchanged goodbyes with Suzy once he pulled into his parking garage.  
    "See you tomorrow dude, I think we work at the same time."  
    Suzy paused briefly to remember the schedule from memory. "Ya I think so. Goodnight Ar."  
    Arin put his phone back in his pocket and walked towards his mailbox to retrieve the gift his friend so kindly gave him. He grabbed his book and mail (probably all bills) and tucked it under his arm before walking up the stairs to his apartment. He slid the key in the lock and practically dove for his bed once he was inside.  
    Half awake, he lifted the book to his face and inspected the cover. Suzy wasn't lying. This cover looked beautiful. The book was all black with thin white details all across the front. It formed a scenery with a single tree in a field. Arin traced his hand over the book and with further inspection realized the moon in the top right corner was off. It wasn't an ordinary moon. It was instead composed of a single symbol that he had never seen before. The faux moon was intricate and had he not been so tired, he would have been inspired to trace it. Definitely not tonight but on his next day off for sure.  
    Arin set the book and the rest of his mail on his nightstand and changed into some pajamas and immediately set his alarm before laying back down. It was a good thing he did seeing as he fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.  
   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you don't mind a background story chapter. I just want to show you what happens in a normal work day. 
> 
> Also for anyone wondering, my tumblr is reinedegrump.tumblr.com  
> -If anyone wants to follow me or talk about grumps I'm totally down! Thank you again for checking out my work!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arin gets some anxiety over his work but finds inspiration again.

The rest of the work week was just as busy as one would expect a popular restaurant to be. Arin couldn't complain since he was making good money, yet he couldn't help but feel more and more drained each day. His lucky break came on the Tuesday he was finally scheduled off.   
    Arin woke up from the suns rays spilling in through the windows... and directly into his eyes. "Is it 12 or 2?" Arin squinted at his clock before realizing he had in fact slept the day away. He sat up and yawned before finishing his  previous thought. "I guess I'll find something productive to do before the day ends I guess." Arin reached for the ceiling until he heard the satisfying sound of his back popping before getting out of bed.   
    With that he managed to kill a few hours by taking a shower and doing some tidying up around the house. But that was over as soon as it started leaving Arin with nothing to do yet again. He made a 180 for his computer at the corner of his room and pulled out his laptop and tablet.  
    He wasn't sure what to draw but he figured he would go online and look at some of his favorite animator's works until he sparked an idea. The first channel was a friend of his: Chris. He made weird but still funny comedy videos that really took off on Youtube. Unfortunately, all it did for Arin was rise a few laughs out of him but leaving him empty handed just as he had started.   
    A few more hours passed of animated videos (even him reviewing his older works didn't help) and with a sigh, the computer was turned off. Arin sat on his bed and put his head in his hands. He really needed to stop stressing about the art block but not having ideas really made him anxious.   
    'What would that mean for my future? If I faced this problem everyday if my animations took off, wouldn't that immediately ruin my career?' Arin's thoughts were like waves crashing in his brain slowly building anxiety until his mind would eventually be flooded and that scared him. It felt like the room was closing around him and the corners of his vision started to blur. Overthinking usually did this to him. He's had anxiety attacks in the past and he has never gotten any better at making it go away from it only making it a little easier to end the attack. He inhaled and sat back onto the bed to regain some control.  
    "Deep breaths." The brunette spoke into an empty room and let his eyes close. "Don't focus on the future, right now you are okay. Chill." Willing himself to listen to the advice, he felt relief slowly overtake him. After a while, he was able to come back to reality again. At times like that,  he was thankful his childhood friend Barry taught him how to cope with anxiety.   
   After he felt like he was alright to move again, Arin looked to his nightstand to get his phone but halted when he saw the book Suzy bought him the other day. Reluctantly, the book was picked up.   
    "Alright lets see what's in here." the struggling artist flipped through the pages, stopping in the middle. What he saw gave him a small glimmer of hope. It was the symbol, only magnified. It took up both pages and went into crucial details. With a sudden rush of inspiration, the artist went back to his workstation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 2! Sorry it was a little short. I'm trying not to rush anything but also keep it interesting. This was kind of a filler so you can see what his average day is like. Let me know what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arin finds out what happens when you mess with symbols you don't know the meaning of.

The symbol was recreated on illustrator to be used to future reference. Or maybe in a future animation? Who knows. He drew what it would look like from different angles and colors after deciding a aerial view with black ink was best. He has always enjoyed making logos so this wasn't any different. Even if this didn't make it into a short or even an icon, he still gained some ideas from it. The rest of the night was spent going back and forth from the book and the computer. Arin would even make fun of some of the phrases or names in the text as he does with most things but then resuming whatever he was doing before.  He didn't understand the language the book was written in but it wasn't given to him so he could read its contents anyway.  
    One successful art session later, it was time to hit the hay. Arin let his head hit the pillow and let sleep take him with a smile on his face. If only the happiness lasted into his dreams as well.  
    Dream Arin was standing in what looked like a dark cellar lit by candlelight with a distinct moss smell coming from the walls. He crinkled his nose and tried to look for a way out.   
    "What the hell?" Arin asked tracing all four walls but finding no door to let him out. Immediately, a sense of panic overtook him. 'Where am I? Why can't I get out?' Arin frantically questioned himself as if a) he knew the answer or b) he could hear his own thoughts over his heavy breathing. Once more, an attempt of finding a way out was made but of course, to no avail.  
    "Hey stop running around it's hurting my head to watch." An unknown voice called out. Arin's blood ran cold. Was he going crazy? Or did he actually hear another voice in the room. That would be impossible seeing as he was the only occupant.   
    "Who's there?" Arin called out with an obvious tremor in his voice.   
    "What do you mean who's there? You called me. You should know I'm not the joking type when it comes to business." the voice came again. It was almost like an how an omnipotent being would reach a person. With no presence but with a deep and echoing voice.  
    Arin felt dumbstruck. Yes he was still scared as shit but he also couldn't remember asking to be in this small room with no escape. So he tried the voice again. "No? Why would I want to be in this musky room with no doors? What is this? Who are you?"  
    Something he said must have pissed the voice off to make it appear inches from his face with a scowl and a hand on the man's throat.  
    What Arin saw terrified him. What appeared was a human-like creature with two ram like horns of onyx and red eyes. It had a masculine body and was incredibly tall. So tall, it had to hunch over in the room so it's head wouldn't hit the ceiling. It was hard to make out the rest, seeing as he was going to shit himself any second.  
    "You recreated my insignia and I have arrived. I have important things to do and if you do not tell me what you request, I will snap your neck in my hand. I will not have my time wasted by someone like you."  
    The information hit Arin like a bag of bricks. Insignia? Did they mean the symbol on his computer? There was no way. He had never tried so hard to recall information in his life. Nothing was coming back to him. He hoped stalling would be the next state of action at least until some information came to him.   
    "Okay. Can you please release me so I can say my request?" Arin tried to sound at least a tiny bit brave and prayed the creature would put him down. Luckily for him the creature obliged and stood back a few feet from the man.  
    "Hurry up, I don't have all day."   
    "So um, what are your limitations on requests?" Arin tried to get any information out of the hybrid so he could avoid any hand-to-throat contact.  
    The creature raised an eyebrow and grinned. "None. Anything you ask will be granted in exchange for your soul."  
    Arin paled. Stalling had proven to be a terrible plan. If only he could un-hear something. He could never guess what he got into but he knew he already regretted it. If he was a dead man anyway, he wanted to ask the brute something else that would maybe contradict what has just heard.   
    "What do people usually ask you for?"  
    "Anything: money, power, fame, revenge. It depends on what you're looking for."      
    Arin licked his lips and the words came out of his mouth like a broken faucet. "Uh...appealing to people?"  
     'Where the fuck did that come from?' Arin's subconscious obviously took over for a second because he didn't even realize what he said until the demon grinned and its eyes lit up.Something had obviously sparked his interest. He spoke again.  
    "Manipulation is my specialty. If that is what you want I can teach you to talk your way into getting whatever you want. Isn't that all you've ever wanted Arin Hanson? To have millions of people watching your hard work come alive on the screen? I can make that happen." The creature exhorted with the same grin he held before.  
    "H-how did you know my name?" Arin's skin was ice when the beast recalled information he never gave to him.  
    "I know everything about you ever since you started working on my symbol. That's not important though. What's important is whether we have a deal or not."   
    Arin hesitated. Was this real? Is this just some fucked up dream? Even if it was real, is this an offer he would take? He was very clear on the binding of this deal. Was a life of adoration of others worth his soul? Arin's head swam with questions. After some more thought, his internal debate was cut off by the voice once more.  
    "Do you really want to stay at that dead end job forever? I know how you work double shifts almost everyday so you can pay your bills. I know that you have no time to work on your passion and when you do, you have nothing to draw. I can give you everything you've ever wanted. I can give you fans, wealth, inspiration. All you have to do is shake my hand." With the last word the thing stretched out a long limb and offered a taloned hand to his client.  
    That spiel really struck a chord with him. If Arin wasn't on some high off the benefits of the deal, he would have taken the time to weigh out the (mostly) cons of the situation. But really? He wouldn't have to work at that hellhole anymore and live paycheck to paycheck? He could finally give people something they enjoy with his name on it? What more could he ask for? What's a soul anyways for a lifetime of happiness?   
    "And if your end of the deal is broken?" Arin tried. At least he had some sanity to ask one more question.  
    "I'm offended you would even ask that." The demon said with mock hurt. "If the deal is broken, then your soul is yours."  
    Arin figured he could find a way out of this, so with nothing else to lose, he shook it's hand.  
    "Who am I making a deal with anyway?"   
    "How about you just call me Dan."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here is some Dan! Sorry I made you wait a few chapters. I try not to make the characters OOC but I'm still working on it. Thank you for making it this far! I hope the length of this chapter compensates for the last one.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Was it all a dream? Maybe. Maybe not though.

    Arin awoke with a jolt. That was the worst nightmare he had ever had. He was so tired even after all of his sleep. It was almost like he didn't go to bed at all. He still had at least 8 hours of sleep and didn't even have to work for a few more hours so he figured he could fall back into his dream space.   
    As he laid his head down, he felt a throbbing in his left hand. When he looked down he almost screamed. On the back of his hand was a scar of the insignia of the demon. Almost as if he had been branded.   
    "Holy shit it was real." Arin told himself raking his hand through his hair in a frenzy.   
    "Ya of course it's real, a deal is a deal." A familiar voice came from the corner of the room.   
    Arin's body was trembling as he slowly turned to face the source of the sound. This time he did scream. Arin saw this creature in full daylight and he was scarier than his nightmare depicted. Black pupils were surrounded by red eyes. If looks could kill, he could put anyone in the graveyard. The scariest part was his whole jaw unhinged with sharp white fangs to showcase themselves every time he spoke.  
    "If you don't stop screaming, I will give you an actual reason to scream. I am not here to hurt you, that wasn't in the bargain. But you're starting to make me wish it was." The thing threatened. And he was serious.   
    Arin reluctantly convinced himself to stop but his shaking wouldn't. He pressed himself to talk to the demon.   
    "What do you want from me?"  
    "Are you naturally this stupid and annoying? I swear humans are the most dense creatures. Your soul. Remember the deal we made a few hours ago?" Dan raised one eyebrow and pinched the bridge of his nose.  
    Arin gulped. "I mean, why are you here? Aren't you supposed to take my soul at the end?"  
    The demon looked like he was going to rip his curly locks out of his head. For a powerful demon, he had as much patience as an irritable old man.  
    "Did you think I was just going to wave a wand and all of a sudden you magically have anything you want? I can help you get the approval of others, but just like anything else in this world, you need someone to teach you how to do it. It will be worth it and will only take a little bit of your time. Your soul comes after all of that."  
    "O-okay." Arin choked out. "Just tell me what to do."   
   "With pleasure," Dan grinned at the final submission of the man.  
\--  
    The fear Arin had of the demon was slowly melting away. He had learned that Dan wasn't all that scary when he was doing what was asked of him. Now don't get him wrong, he was still incredibly scared that with one wrong move his neck would be snapped like a pencil, but it wasn't as intense as when he first met him. Dan didn't seem the type to go through all this effort just to kill him instantly. So with that, Arin found it easier to open up.  
It was getting closer to work time and Arin spent most of his time showing Dan his animations, who he looked up to, what he hated about his work, and what platforms of media he was used to. He also took the time to ask a bunch of questions with a sort of eagerness that showed he was ready to learn.  
    "You're going to have to start small. Work will be the perfect opportunity for you. Trust me, after a week of my help, you will make so many tips, you will be able to pay for bills for months." Dan encouraged. "Now, I will follow behind you and tell you what you need to do."   
    Arin looked reluctant. "Don't you think people are going to notice an 8 foot monster following me around?"   
    It took everything Dan had not to kill the man he was helping. He took a deep breath of annoyance as if Arin had asked the most stupid question in the world. " I'm a demon. I know how to shield myself from the human eye. Do you know how many demons you encounter everyday and don't even know? Your bagging lady at the store last week was a demon for God's sake."   
    "That old lady? There is no way. She was so nice." Arin looked up at Dan in actual awe. It almost made Dan feel kinda bad for the man for not knowing anything about the supernatural. Almost.  
    With a sigh, Dan transformed into his most human appearance to prove a point. The transformation occurred though all of his demon qualities receding into his body leaving only the most human traits.  
    He was still tall by all means but now his horns were gone, his skin lost its grayish tint and his eyes turned dark brown. He looked like any other male you would find in the streets.  
    "See? I use this form all the time when I'm out. And you wouldn't have even known I eat souls for a living."  
    Arin wasn't sure if it was the relief of the creature turning into something normal looking or the way he worded his sentence but he started genuinely laughing. And surprisingly, so did Dan. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Demons can have fun too. Just not when the people he helps drive him up the wall. Anyway, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arin goes to work and it's debatable if it's the best or worst night of his life.

Arin was nervously wringing out his apron in his hands as he clocked in. He didn't want this plan to go to shit and potentially lose his job. But he didn't really have a choice. Dan said he would follow him there but not directly. So where he could show up he had no idea.  
    "You okay man? You're looking a little less hot than you always do." Ross wiggled his eyebrows at the other man. Arin always loved Ross' ways to cheer him up.  
    "Ya I'm fine. Just had no sleep last night. I'm ready to make that money though." Arin said with a chuckle. Maybe joking would defuse the churning he had in his gut.  
    "Well you're lucky you have the good section tonight. It's going to be busy as fuck. I don't know how you do it dude. I mean ya I like money but I hate coming in and working hard all day. Why can't I just be famous for nothing?" Ross' Australian accent poked through with the quick F bomb he had just dropped.  
    They both laughed and wrapped up their conversation. Arin put on his best 'customer smile' and went out of the kitchen doors and into the actual restaurant.  
    He came up to his first table and used his overly happy voice. "Hello! My name is Arin and I'll be you-" He was cut off when he saw the man drop his menu and reveal a smirking Dan looking back at him.  
    "Aw come on man. Do demons even have money?" Arin pinched the bridge of his nose.    
    This apparently made Dan laugh. Loudly. A couple of customers looked up from their place to look at the display but immediately became uninterested when they realized nothing serious was happening.   
    "You are something else Hanson. You really underestimate me." There was a glimmer in Dan's eye. "Anyway, go get me your best Cabernet and I'll tell you how to get through tonight when you come back."   
    Arin was confused at the fact that Dan looked relaxed but something about the gleam in his eyes challenged him for undermining him. He wasn't sure if he should be scared.  
    "Uh y-ya okay I'll be right back." If Arin could run he'd be half way to Albuquerque by now. He told himself Dan was just a customer and there was nothing to worry about.  
    Arin returned shortly with the wine and poured the red liquid into his glass. He carefully watched Dan to make sure he wasn't doing anything wrong. He hadn't felt this nervous since he started his job.  
    "Thank you Mr. Hanson. Now, do you see that couple that just came in? I want you to 'accidentally' pour wine on the guy."   
    "Wait what? You have to be joking!" Arin tried to keep his cool. Was he serious?  
    "I don't make jokes when it comes to a job. Now do it." Dan's smile fell flat. He hated being doubted. Especially in his field of expertise.   
    "Okay okay. I'm trusting you man." Arin side eyed Dan and made his way over to his new customers.  
    "Hi I'm Arin and I'l-" He pretended to trip and spilled the wine on the young gentleman. The man's eyes went wide and he immediately stood up.  
    "Oh my gosh I'm so sorry let me help you!" Arin began but was cut off.   
    "No! You've done enough! Do not touch me! How dare you. Are you incompetent?" The man's face twisted into one of disgust and Arin had never felt so low. Everyone was looking at him (including Dan) and he wanted to break down there. Arin watched as the man fled into the bathroom to clean himself up. It took Arin a couple of seconds to compose himself. It felt like an eternity.   
    "Is there anything I can do to make this better?" Arin offered to the female. He prayed that she wasn't going to freak out on him like her significant other just did. He wasn't sure he could take two hits in one night.  
    "No sir. Actually I want to thank you. I suppose I never knew my boyfriends true colors until tonight. You actually saved me from a potential terrible relationship. Don't feel bad about what happened. We all make mistakes. And apparently so did I when I said I would go out with this man. Here," The woman handed Arin a considerable amount of money. "I want you to have this for your troubles. Don't let people treat you like that okay? You seem like a great guy. Have a great night sir."  
    Arin was awestruck. And so were the onlookers. "Thank you so much mam. Sorry again."   
    She offered him a soft smile and then went to meet her now ex boyfriend and made him follow her outside so they could talk in public. He was sure It wasn't pretty.   
    "Arin come back here please." Suzy motioned him with a finger and he met her in the kitchen.   
    "Ar! Do you have any idea who that girl was? That's the senator's daughter!" Suzy exclaimed. She wasn't mad, more shocked since she witnessed the entire ordeal.  
    "Oh my god." Arin put his head in his hands.    
    "How much did she give you?" Suzy pointed at his pocket where he stored the tip. Arin raised an eyebrow. Honestly he had forgotten all about it and pulled out the bills.   
    "No fuckin' way." Arin's eyes were wide. There was at least a few hundred dollars in there.   
    "Wow she must have really liked you. I need to start spilling drinks on guests too I guess." Suzy laughed. And just like that Arin wasn't as embarrassed anymore.  
    "God, anyway. I'm going to try not to make an ass out of myself for the rest of the night." He quickly scooped her up in a hug and went back outside. He made an immediate B-line for Dan.  
    "How did you know?" Arin was almost in shock. He was only met with a smile.   
    "I'm good at what I do. Humility is key. If you can learn how to make a bad situation into something that benefits you, than you can do anything."   
    "Th-thank you Dan. This is incredible. I don't know how you do it." Arin's face reddened with each word. Dan's smile only got wider.  
       "I know you don't. If you did, I'd be out of a job." Dan let out another, more genuine laugh. Arin joined in. He was starting to think that he liked demon humor.   
    "So Dan, how are you paying for your drinks anyways?" Arin asked with a grin.   
    "Oh you're paying for it my friend. You just made a bunch of money did you not?"   
    Scratch that. Demon humor isn't as funny as he thought.   
   --  
    By the end of the night, Arin generated more tips than he ever had. It was still hard work but he figured that it went by faster when he fully learned how to talk to people. Dan sat there the entire time coaching him through each customer and Arin felt himself get better with each transaction.   
      When the restaurant was finally closed, Arin was able to clock out. Ross looked like he was gonna topple over and die. It was a busy night for everyone. Arin went back out to Dan and was getting ready to leave when he heard two voices calling after him.   
    "Arin!" The voices came in unison. Both men stopped in their tracks and turned to face Suzy and Ross. When they saw two men turn instead of one the both looked at each other with an expression that telepathically said 'who the fuck is that?'.  
    "Whoa who's your friend?" Ross asked with an eyebrow cocked.  
    "My name is Dan, I'm an old friend of Arin's." He stuck his hand out to be shook by both workers.   
    "You never told me about Dan!" Suzy said in mock hurt to Arin.   
    "Oh uh, we met briefly in college and we just reconnected after we ran into each other at the store the other day." Arin said trying to put their skepticism to rest. He could feel Dan's eyes on him the entire time.  
    "Well any friend of Arin's is a friend of mine!" Suzy smiled.  Dan returned it.   
    "We stopped you because tonight we're all getting together at the pub down the street for some drinks. Wanna come? I already texted Barry and he said he would be there." Ross eyed the both of them waiting for an answer.   
    "That sounds lovely. What do you think Arin?" Dan kept his gaze on him.   
    'Great, another challenge.' Arin thought to himself but put on a fake smile nonetheless.   
    "Alright, let me go home and change first." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ross' spiel is what I tell people everyday at work tbh. I just want to make money doing nothing lol. Hopefully this is interesting for everyone because I'm enjoying writing it. Thank you for all the reads and kudos I really appreciate it!! :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bonding time can be accidental too.

Once Arin and Dan were in the car, Arin was finally able to talk to Dan and Dan only with no interruptions.   
    "Do you actually want to go to the party or are you just testing me again? Because if you are, I'm just gonna text them and say never mind." Arin looked up at Dan with a tired expression. If Dan was a full human, he would have felt a little guilt for making Arin feel this defeated. But he wasn't, so he was only able to deadpan.  
    "Nah man, I just wanted to get more alcohol. You've done enough for tonight. You deserve a night out anyway." Dan gave Arin a reassuring look. This sparked an actual look of shock on Arin's face. Dan was about to ask what was wrong with him until Arin spoke up.  
    "Whoa dude that's incredibly nice of you to say, thank you."   
    Dan studied Arin's face. All he did was tell the truth. He didn't understand why it was such a big deal to him. So he just stayed quiet. Arin was the first to break the silence.  
    "Do you listen to music? I only have old CD's my dad left in here when he gave me this car."   
    Dan shrugged. "Ya I've been around enough to find some bands I like. What do you have?" Dan asked while shuffling through some albums in the center console.   
    "You like Nirvana?" Dan asked Arin while popping the CD in the system. Arin let out an 'eh' for a response. Dan continued anyway. "You humans aren't that impressive as a whole but some individuals really get it. Kurt was one of those people. I adore that man." Dan laughed to himself and Arin gave a small nod in agreement, more focused on the dark road in front of him.   
    When the album started, Dan hit the skip button until he settled on Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle. He started singing along with the lead's voice and didn't even notice the drivers look of disbelief.   
    "You're really good at singing man! Where did you learn to sing so well?"   
    "Thanks. I've been singing ever since I was born pretty much. I really like it. I've even been in a few bands." Dan said while drumming his fingers on his lap. He really liked this song. Actually he liked the entire album.  
    The rest of the car ride was spent listening to some old rock songs and occasionally jamming out with each other. This prompted a "who can sound the most like the singer" contest and then caused some more laughter. For the duration of the car ride, it was almost like they were actually friends.

\--  
    "Okay I'll be right out I'm going to change out of these work clothes. Do you need anything to wear?" Arin peaked his head out around the corner of the door and looked at Dan who was casually sitting on the couch.   
    "No thank you. I get my own clothes. How do you think I've been changing outfits since you met me?"  
    Arin never really thought about it but he supposed he was right. With a shrug, he went back in his room to pick out a new outfit. He decided on a maroon V-neck and some black jeans. He brought a grey zip up hoodie too for good measure. When Arin came back out his jaw almost fell on the floor. Dan somehow went from a casual outfit to a tight black shirt and a faux leather jacket with skinny light washed jeans. He topped it all off with a long grey scarf. He looked like he came right out of a clothing catalog.       
    "If I knew you were gonna wear that, I would have picked something nicer." Arin laughed as he picked up his keys. "Are you ready to go?"  
    Dan rolled his eyes with a smile and followed Arin out the door. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for keeping up with my story! I update as much as possible. If you like my story let me know! Also let me know if you spot any errors. Also, feel free to follow my tumblr. I make art as well. I just drew Arin :)  
> Have a good day!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just some friends partying.

Dan was not new to clubs. Hell, he attended them sometimes to pick up potential clients. But this was different. This time, he was already in a contract and he was going to meet his client's friends. In all honesty, he had never gone to a social outing with a person who made a deal with him unless it was for business purposes. The fact that it was just for fun made him wonder how the night would unfold. His original plan was for Arin to practice more in the art of persuasion but Arin gave him a face that made him abandon the idea all together.   
    When they both arrived to the club, everyone was already waiting for them at a circular booth in the corner. It had looked like they had gotten started on drinks early.   
    "What took you guys so long? I tried to convince them to wait on the drinks but they were 'ready to party' in Ross' words. And I couldn't argue with that," Barry laughed and scooted over so they could sit down. Once Dan was sitting next to Barry, Barry stuck out his hand.   
    "I'm Barry. Me and Arin were neighbors as kids and he could never get rid of me ever since." Danny took his hand and laughed.   
    "Nice to meet you. I'm a friend of Arin's as well. We met in college briefly. Didn't see him again until just recently." Dan figured he should stick with Arin's story for the sake of consistency.   
    "What were you both doing while you were gone?" Ross gave a snarky grin at the two men. They both rolled their eyes at the man's insinuation.   
    "Literally got dressed and came here." Arin sighed. Ross was always he first one to make a dirty joke. Which is also why they were friends.   
    "Ya, everyone's gotta get dressed after they fu-"  
    "God dammit Ross!" Arin cut him off. If Dan didn't have enhanced vision, he would have missed the red that crept up on Arin's face. Everyone laughed anyway.  
    After a little while of conversing (and of course getting a little drunk), everyone felt relaxed and more compelled to talk more openly.  
    "Dan you look great by the way! I really like your style." Suzy smiled at Dan.   
    "You should take the compliment, she tells everyone else that they dress like homeless people." Ross snickered.  
    "No, just you Ross." Barry cut off his laughter with his own. This made the group go crazy. Dan was pretty sure he heard Arin yell "Roast!". He didn't know what that meant but he laughed anyways.   
    "Thank you Suzy." Dan said after the group calmed down.   
    Just like any clique of three or more, the conversation eventually broke off into a few. In one group it was Dan, Arin, and Ross and in the other was Suzy and Barry.  
    Suzy and Barry decided to get up and drinks for everyone leaving the three of them.  
    "So Dan, did you go to school for animation like Arin?" Ross asked, leaning on his elbows to get closer.  
    "No, I went for communications. We had the same elective." Dan said smoothly.   
    "Ya, and we roomed in the same building. His room was down the hall from mine." Arin added. Dan eyes went wide as he turned to look at him and shot him a 'what the fuck are you doing' look. Arin obviously had too much to drink and was trying to hard to sell the story.   
    Dan gritted his teeth but kept his external composure so Ross wouldn't suspect anything. "Yup, we didn't even realize until we talked the other day. Crazy right? Small world." He smiled at Ross and side-kicked Arin from under the table before he could open his mouth and make the story more convoluted. Arin let out a small hiss and rubbed his leg. Dan continued despite the glare he received in return for the kick.  
    "So Ross, what do you do?"   
    "Oh I have a youtube channel. I make animations. Me and Arin actually met on a animation site called Newgrounds when we were younger."  
    "That's really cool. I could never animate." Dan said genuinely. There really was a reason why he was a demon of communication and not the arts.  
    Just as the conversation started to fall flat, Barry and Suzy returned. With some drinks in their hands.  
    "Oh thank god you're back, they are so boring!" Ross exclaimed, dramatically throwing his arm over his eyes.   
    All five of them started cracking up. Arin spoke up "Ya whatever Ross. I'm sure Danny was all about your talk on animation."  
    "Shut up scrub. Bet you won't dance with me on the floor." Ross started sliding out of his seat.  
    "Don't make bets with me, you know I'll take them. Come on guys. Let's go dance!"     Arin shot out of his seat and headed to the dance floor.  Dan didn't really want to go but since everyone else got up, he didn't want to look suspicious.   
    The dance floor was exactly the opposite of what the movies make them out to be. Dan was awkwardly looking around at the men and women grinding on each other and the bad music playing. He wanted to go home and sleep. He joined in with the rest of Arin's friends and shuffled with them so he wouldn't be the odd man out.  
    He wasn't sure what he had thought about Arin's friends. Dan was a demon helping a client and honestly, they didn't pertain to him. They didn't offer anything to the deal. Arin already appealed to them because duh, those are his friends that he sees a lot, if not everyday. Were they funny and nice? Yes. Did they shake the hands with him and make a deal? No. So they were nothing more than just "friends of a client" and that's exactly how he treated them. But something was different. He already broke a boundary when he came to the club in the first place. He didn't want to break another one by risking getting close with an acquaintance he had only met that night. He decided these were all thoughts he would come back to and for now, he would join the rest of the pack and dance with them. Even if he sucked at it.  
    The rest of the night ended up being them making fun of each other for their bad dance moves. But after at least an hour of it, they all decided it was time to go home. Suzy and Ross hailed a cab together since they live within a few houses of each other. Barry called his roommate Jon to come get him. And everyone agreed that Dan was sober so he could drive him and Arin home. After everyone made sure they were all good to go, they headed their separate ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought it would be fun to write a chapter from Dan's perspective to show you how he thinks. And here's a chapter with Barry! I love that guy. If he was my life editor, my life would be a lot more funny. I hope I'm writing them in character. I watch episodes of GG to refresh myself every so often.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arin wakes up after his party.

A pillow being thrown at your head is a shitty way to wake up. Especially if you're hungover. But, Arin was up now whether he liked it or not. With a groan he sat up, which ended up being a mistake since the room swirled and he felt his head throb.   
    "Ughwhatisit?" Arin put his head in his hands.  
    "Get up. You have work in a few hours. I brought you pain killers and coffee." Dan shook the bottle for good measure. This elicited another cry from the hungover man but he accepted it regardless.  
    "Thanks. I feel like shit." He downed the coffee and a few pain pills within a few minutes.  
    "Ya I know. I saw how much you drank last night Mr. 'we-lived-right-down-the-hall-from-each-other'," Dan pinched the bridge of his nose. He swore it was like helping an overgrown child sometimes. "Here's a second lesson. Stay away from alcohol or if you're gonna go out, drink it in moderate amounts. That's how you avoid saying things you regret."  
    Arin's eyes widened momentarily. Did he really say that? 'I'm such an idiot!' Arin nodded his head. "Okay got it. You're not hungover? You drank as much as I did! Can demons even get drunk?"   
    Dan grinned. "No. And if we did, we would need something way stronger than what humans have to offer."  
    He wanted to inquire further but decided against it on the notion that saying the wrong thing would end up with Dan's hand around his neck again. That with a hangover? He didn't think so.  
    Arin laid back down and closed his eyes. He didn't want to go to work today. He was sure Suzy didn't want to either. Ross was off today. Lucky bastard. Another pillow was thrown at his head.  
    "Hey I said get up. Nothing productive gets done when you stay in bed all day. Go take a shower or something." Dan's arms were crossed.   
    Seeing as he wasn't going to be swayed, Arin got up. Dan may be right but he was still going to be bitter about it. Dan just gave him a smile that said 'I'm always right so just do what I say thanks'.   
    He had to admit a shower did feel pretty nice. The warm water helped clean off any grogginess from last night. He may have took too long scrubbing his hair but that's what happens when you don't get enough sleep.  
     He let his thoughts wander back to last night. Why was Ross so quick to assume they were together? And why would he assume they had sex? Did Ross even know he wasn't straight? He never told anyone about how he feels. Arin also knew it was only a joke which is why he didn't understand why it got to him so much. Dan wouldn't even want to be with him like that anyway. He was cold, reserved, manipulative, and only with him for professional interest. Dan was going to take his soul for God's sake. So why was it so important? Did he see Dan as something more than a business partner? He had to admit that he liked the time they spent last night in the car when they sang together. But Dan was also abusive. When they first met, he almost killed him. That's not something a person would do to a potential friend. Or another person in general. Since the event happened, he is afraid to ask questions and feels like he needs to tip toe around him. He supposed that's what he signed up for though. This wasn't a person-to-person relationship. Arin literally summoned something from the underworld. He just wished it didn't make him feel so shitty.  
    With one last run down of water on his body, he turned the shower off and wrapped a towel around his waist. With the water off, he could faintly hear Dan singing from the other room. He wasn't sure what it was or if it was even in English but he wanted to listen to it all day.  He snapped out of it and opened the door. When he stepped outside, he could immediately smell food. He didn't even realize how hungry he was until his stomach growled. Arin quickly went into his room to change.  
    When he went into the kitchen he was immediately in awe. Dan had cooked him a full breakfast of eggs, bacon, pancakes, and hash browns. Arin was pretty sure he was in heaven.   
    "Whoa that looks great man. I didn't know you could cook." Arin beamed at Dan as he set a plate in front of him.   
    "How do you know I can? You haven't even tried it yet." Dan chuckled and sat his own plate down across from Arin.  
    Arin took a bite out the food and he could already tell it was the best meal he's ever had. "Dude this is amazing! If I knew your food was this good I would have made a deal for you to cook everyday. For real though, you should open a restaurant," Arin joked while taking another bite of his eggs.   
    Dan laughed at that and if Arin was watching close enough he might have seen the slightest of pink on his face. "You're too much. All I did was cook food for you. But thank you that's really nice of you to say. And maybe in another lifetime I will who knows."   
    "I didn't even know I had all these ingredients in my house."  
    "You didn't Arin. I had to go buy them." Dan shrugged.   
    "Wait I thought you didn't have money. That's why I paid for your wine the other night." Arin furrowed his brows in confusion.  
    "Oh no, I definitely have money, I just thought your restaurant charged too much for their Cabernet." Dan's smile was one of smugness. "I just like to keep you on your toes."  
    Arin's food almost fell out of his mouth.   
    "Anyway, you need to start getting ready for work or you will be late." Dan wiped some crumbs from the corner of his mouth and took his plate to the sink. Dan's humor was something Arin was still getting used to.   
    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is Dan actually nice? Who knows. I don't! I only have vague ideas of where the story is going. I promise a relationship will be established eventually. I just want it to be realistic. I see a lot of fics where it's immediate and I want to try and switch things up. If you have any suggestions or ideas of how you want it to go, let me know. I would love to see what you guys think and make sure you are reading something enjoyable.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arin makes a big decision. Will a new character he meets make everything change?

  "Before you go, I need you to type out a two weeks notice for Suzy." Dan handed Arin his order pad and apron.  
    "What? Will I be ready by then?" Arin's eyebrows shot up. He felt like he lived at that place. He was sort of reluctant to see that chapter of his life end so soon.  
    "I think you're ready. By the time you quit, you will have earned enough tips to pay for bills until your animations take off." Dan gave him a quick pat on the shoulder. "I will walk with you around work today. But you will be the only one who can see me. Don't make it obvious that I'm with you or people might think you're talking to yourself or something. Just look at where you want to go and don't respond to me directly. This way you won't have to keep coming to my table to ask what's next."  
    "I didn't know you could turn invisible." Arin pointed out while going to his computer. He opened up a word document and started typing his letter of resignation.  
    "I can do a lot of things."  
    Arin shrugged and grabbed the paper he just printed out. "I think I'm gonna miss the place."  
    "Will you though? You had people walk all over you there. I think it's only fair you leave and do what you want to do." Dan didn't want to instigate but he also needed to remind Arin why he took the deal in the first place.  
    "I suppose you're right. Is there any chance I can drive alone to work? I just need a bit to myself. If not it's fine." Arin looked down at the floor. It was obvious he was letting his mind wander again.  
    Dan's face softened. "Yeah man. I'll meet you there. I have to pick something up anyway."  
    "Thank you. See you soon." Arin waved at him as he left his apartment.  
    It's not that Arin was having second doubts about his decisions. He couldn't. It was just that he felt like the world was starting to spin too fast now. This job was something that had a huge impact on his life and all of a sudden he was leaving it. Don't get him wrong, he hated some of his experiences there but he loved working with Suzy and Ross. They kept him smiling all day. Without them, he would be miserable and he wouldn't put his all into his work.  
    A while of driving passed and Arin saw the place where he always finds himself. He grabbed all of his things and started to head inside. On his way in, he ran into someone and everything fell out of hands and onto the concrete. The man immediately bent down to help him pick everything up.  
    "Sorry I should have watched where I was going." They both happened to reach for the notepad at the same time causing Arin's hand to cover the strangers. Arin was about to pull it back when the man grabbed Arin's hand and brought it up to his face.     His blue eyes went wide when he looked at the scar in full detail. "That symbol! Please tell me you didn't do what I think you did."  
    Arin was the equivalent of a deer in headlights. He didn't know what to say. How did this man know about Dan?  
    "Oh my god, you did! Do you have any idea what you've done? It's okay, I can try to help you. But you need to listen to me." He looked Arin in the eye with a stern face. "My name is Brian. I can help you break off the deal."  
    Arin looked around him. He was searching for Dan. He honestly didn't know what to do. Brian knew he was making sure the demon wasn't around and his voice came to a whisper.  
    "Take this, get in touch with me and I can help. I have to go now." The man handed Arin all of his things along with a business card and hurried past him. Arin stashed the card in his pocket and hurried inside to clock in.  
    His mind was swarming. He had no idea what just happened. Did Dan see any of that? If he did, what would happen to Brian? What would happen to him?  
    "Hey are you okay? You look like you just saw a ghost!" Danny hovered by Arin and let out a laugh. When he noticed Arin wasn't laughing with him he furrowed his eyebrows. "Hello? Are you okay? You can laugh, no one is in here."  
    Arin snapped out of it and looked at Danny. His body was semi-transparent and he was floating. "That's actually pretty cool. I just have to clock in real quick and give my letter to Suz."  
    As Arin was clocking in, he noticed Dan didn't bring the encounter up so maybe he was inside the whole time waiting for Arin to show up. He wanted to study Dan's face for any sign of knowing but doing so would be even more suspicious. So, he decided ignore it all together for now. Right now, he was focused on finding Suzy.  
Once he reached the manager office, he knocked on the door. "Hey Suz it's me."  
Suzy opened the door and smiled at Arin. "And what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you today?"  
    Arin frowned and pulled out the paper. He handed it to her as quick as possible before he wimped out from thinking about it too long. He watched Suzy's smile disappear as she read further down the letter.  
    She looked up at him. "You're quitting? Why?"  
    Arin felt like his heart was going to break into a million little pieces. "I wanted to work on animation and make it into a career."  
    Suzy studied his face for a second and she gave him a sad smile. "I don't blame you. You're too good for this place. I'm glad to see you doing something you love." She gave him a tight hug.  
    He appreciated Suzy. She was always there for him no matter what he decided to do and he owed her so much. "I love you man."  
    "I love you too, now go make that mad cash."  
\--  
    "She took it well so that's good." Dan offered floating next to him. Arin could only give him a subtle nod since people were around him. Dan instructed Arin to offer the lady he was helping an aubergine pasta with the house white wine. "That pasta is what she ate in her childhood in Italy. I promise she will love it."  
Arin suggested exactly what Dan told him to say and her face lit up. There's a tip already in the bag.  
    On the way to the kitchen to put the order in, Danny spoke up again. "Don't feel bad man. You can always come back and see everyone. You will be happier doing what you want in life instead of what you need to do."  
    Arin couldn't argue with that. But it was going to take him some time to get over the pit in his stomach. He had grown fond of the place. Since he couldn't speak to Dan, he looked at him briefly and smiled.  
    Dan always gave him really good life advice. This one in particular really resonated with him. He had a point. He needed to go out there and make something of himself. He wanted to share his talent with the world and he's worked hard enough for it. He couldn't help but think about that man Brian who he bumped into. Did Arin really want his help? Or did he want Dan's? Arin forced that subject into the mental filing cabinet titled 'for later'. Right now, he needed to help his customers. He would sort everything out later once he had some time alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe this is almost 10,000 words. Thank you so much for all the hits and kudos you've left! You have no idea how happy you all make me when you do that!


	10. Chapter 10

Arin had the next few days off of work (which was a huge anomaly) and he usually spent it doing small things like relaxing and working on animating.  But when his phone buzzed, he decided to take his day off somewhere different.  
    "Hey dude. Wanna hang out today? For once I'm off. Please tell me you're not working." Barry texted Arin on the best possible day. He wanted to see his friend one on one. It had felt like an eternity since they both got together last.  
    "Ya dude that sounds perfect. Wanna meet at the coffee shop in 20?"  
    "See ya soon."  
    Arin quickly got dressed and went into the living room where Dan was on his phone (which Arin didn't even know he had). He told him what his plans were for the day and told Danny not to burn the house down while he was gone. Dan only responded with a cheeky smile and a 'see you soon Arin.'  
    When Arin got to the coffee shop, Barry was already sitting at a table. He wore a plaid shirt as he usually did which made him the first thing Arin spotted. Even if Barry wasn't wearing a button down, his fluffy black hair and trimmed beard would have gave him away.  
    The coffee shop was one they usually frequented, even in high school. It was quaint and the drinks were actually pretty good. Arin always got a strawberry frappuccino while Barry settled on an americano. Not to mention it was never terribly busy so they didn't have to shout over each other to have a conversation. California was infamous for underground shops that not a lot of people knew about. Well, where they lived at least.  
    "Hey Ar, I got your coffee already." Barry gestured to his coffee in front of him. Arin slid into the booth across from him and set his elbows on the table.  
    "Thanks, I'll get the next one. So, what's new? I'm shocked you have a day off. You usually work non stop. I was starting to think you were a robot." Arin chuckled and sipped his drink.  
    "Ha ha very funny. Actually, Jon said he wasn't going to work on a lot of videos for now since he was planning a bigger project that took more recording time."   
    Barry edited videos for his friend/roommate Jon for a living. It paid well and Barry was one of the best editors out there. So much so that Jon's fans knew him by name.  But to Barry he was just in it because he loved working on that kind of stuff and Jon was very kind and a good friend to him.  
    "That's really exciting! I'm happy for you guys. The videos always come out great."   
    "Ya, we're having a lot of fun. Anyway, tell me about Dan. I'm surprised you didn't tell me about him when you were in college together." Barry raised an eyebrow and took a drink.  
    Arin paled. He had to think of something. He couldn't come clean with him about his new found roommate. Not yet at least. As guilty as he felt about keeping a secret from his best friend, it was in both of their best interests.  
    "Oh we didn't talk in college that's why. You know me, always admiring from afar," Arin chuckled. "But ya man, I ran into Dan the other day and when I recognized him, I built up the courage to talk to him."  
    Barry seemed to take that answer and a grin spread across his face. "Do you like him? I saw the way you two were talking the other day. Like an old married couple."  
    Arin groaned. "Ugh Bar don't say that. We're just friends." 'Well not even that, I don't think Dan even considers me a friend' Arin corrected himself mentally.  
    "Uh huh. Sure, but I've seen you when you have crushes on people. And you're definitely acting like when you had that small crush on Ross. Remember that?"  
    Why did Barry have to bring that up? Arin didn't want to admit it at first, but when he first started at his job, Ross showed him the ropes. And once they hit it off, Arin started to feel attracted to him. Unfortunately, it was for naught. It never went anywhere. Arin was sure Ross didn't feel the same way and he eventually moved on. He still has random thoughts of what could have happened now and again but he represses them for the most part.   
    "Yes, sadly I remember. But Dan is different. Sometimes he's too aggressive and I don't think he sees us as that close. So I'm just gonna leave it where it is. Even if I did have a crush, which I'm not even 100% sure about, I don't want to date him. It just wouldn't be healthy. So it's going to be completely platonic."   
    Barry knew better than to further his assumption and eventually turn the conversation sour or uncomfortable so he just nodded his head and drank some more of his coffee.  
    "Well you know I support you no matter what your decisions are. Speaking of which, Suzy told me you put in your two weeks yesterday to work on your animations. I'm so proud of you man!"  
    Arin was unaware that word would get out that fast but the corners of his lips tugged upward anyways.   
    "Ya, I figured that I've saved up enough money to try this scene out. I get to do what I want to and I'm really excited about it. I need to thank Dan though, he's the one that really pushed me to do this. But I need your advice." Of course Arin wasn't going to give him the full story but he needed help and that's what Barry was for.  
    "I'm listening."  
    "Danny gives me solid advice on how to coordinate my actions to help my career. In exchange, we live together. And we get along just fine. But the other day, I ran into someone who apparently knew him and said he's nothing but a concern for me and I should let him go. I don't even know him but he seemed so sure."  
    Barry was propped up on his elbows leaning in as he gathered in all this new information. After thinking, Barry spoke up. "Listen, when I met Dan, he seemed like a really good guy. But if that guy said something about him, that's something that you need to decide to believe on your own. On one hand, you don't know how he treats other people behind closed doors. But on the other hand, he could have ulterior motives. Just make a decision of Dan on your own. And if that guy was right, well let him be right."  
    Arin pondered on that for a moment and gave Barry a sharp nod. "Ya, that's true. I just feel like I've been thrown into everything  and I'm unsure what to do. Everything is changing so fast."  
    "Ya, but life does that sometimes. The important thing is that you stay on your toes and take whatever is thrown at you. As for the decision making, you need to rely on your gut. That's the body's way of telling you what is most logical to do."  
    He was right, Arin felt unsure about Brian but at least he knew all the details of his and Dan's deal. If he started to get the wrong idea, he would call Brian. But for now, that doesn't seem fair to Danny. A deal is a deal and he is not the type to go behind someone's back to be conniving.   
    Once they finished gossiping, Arin and Barry gave each other a quick hug and started to walk out the door. Before they could separate to each of their cars, Barry put a hand on Arin's shoulder.  
    "Listen, I know I said Danny seems like a good guy, and I still stand by that, if he starts to do anything that is even the least bit troublesome, let me know. I'm your friend Arin. You don't have to beat around the bush with me." And with that, Barry got in his car and went home. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi sorry I'm late with a new chapter! I had serious writers block and was unsure where to take this story but then I thought 'you know what? I want a Barry/Arin chapter'.  
> Hope you're all enjoying this and Also since this is uploaded on Christmas, Merry Christmas! And if you don't celebrate it, I hope you have a good holiday :)  
> Again, thank you for the kudos and reads. They make my day.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Let me know what you think! This is my first fic and I'm trying to ease into things. If you see any typos please let me know. If you made it this far, thank you for reading!! I will try to update as often as possible.  
> -Title is from me listening to a Waltz playlist on youtube.


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